Brown Butter & Cinnamon Latte

Brown Butter & Cinnamon Latte is just in time for the blustery Fall weather we’ve been having the past few days! I’m kind of late to the brown butter craze! After tasting it late last Fall I’ve fallen in love with it. A local coffee shop Jeff & I frequent had this same latte on their menu. I hope I make them proud with my version! It’s rich, creamy, nutty and sweet! Have you ever had brown butter? It has a deep toasted nut flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm, spicy sweetness of homemade cinnamon syrup! If you’ve never had brown butter your tastebuds are in for a treat!

What is brown butter?

Brown butter is simply butter that is cooked until the excess moisture is boiled off. Which concentrates its’ flavor. And, the milk solids cook until toasted. Using a pan with a light color to it helps you clearly see what stage the butter is in. It can go from golden yellow to burnt in no time! I prefer to not strain the browned bits from the butter when it’s finished browning~that’s where all the flavor is! You may want to make a double batch! Because, before you know it, you’ll want to enjoy brown butter with breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Drizzle it over cooked steel-cut oats with sauteed apples. Toss hot pasta in it. And, top with roasted butternut squash and fried sage leaves! Once you master making brown butter you’ll add it to anything you can!

When it comes to the coffee for Brown Butter & Cinnamon Latte, let me just say, there are no rules! If you love light, dark, or French roast, use it! Even if you love a cup of {gasp!} decaf, go for it! And, when it comes to steaming the milk, you can simply use the microwave. A few years ago I was gifted one of these gizmos. I love it and use it every single day! But, its a luxury not a necessity for this recipe. The advantage of using it is, it provides a nice frothy whipped milk topping.

If you do purchase one, I have a few bits of advice!

Always unplug it after use.

Store the milk frother separate from the unit it plugs into.

Both nuggets of advice will lengthen the life of the milk frother exponentially!

Brown Butter & Cinnamon Latte

Description

Brown Butter & Cinnamon Latte! A cozy way to start the day! Hot coffee and steamed milk combined with homemade cinnamon syrup and brown butter! Why waste money at the coffee shop when you can enjoy this in your P.J’s!

Scale

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Syrup~

1 cup of water

2~ 3-inch cinnamon sticks

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Brown Butter~

1 stick butter

For the Cinnamon Sugar~

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

To assemble the Latte~

1 mug of fresh brewed hot coffee {preferably dark roast}

1/4 cup steamed milk

Freshly whipped cream, if desired

Instructions

To make the Cinnamon Syrup~

Add the water and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the cinnamon sticks. Combine the cinnamon-infused water, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, uncovered. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside.

To make the Brown Butter~

Cut a cold stick of butter into Tablespoons. Place the butter into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat. The butter will melt, get bubbly, and release ALOT of steam! When the cloudy milkfat on the top of the bubbling butter begins to dissipate grab the handle of the pan and swirl it on the burner in a small “O” motion. This will keep the butter moving as it begins to brown, and help prevent it from burning! When the butter has a nutty aroma and has changed to a light medium brown, remove the pan from the heat. Strain, if desired. I prefer to leave as much of the browned milk solids as I can. That’s where most of the nutty flavor is! The browning takes about 8 minutes from start to finish.

To make the Cinnamon Sugar~

Place the sugar and cinnamon into a small jar. Shake until well combined.

To assemble the Latte~

Fill a coffee mug with hot, freshly brewed coffee. Preferably, a dark roast. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of the cinnamon syrup to the mug. Add one Tablespoon of the warm brown butter, and stir well. Add the steamy frothed milk. Top with a few dollops of freshly whipped cream, if desired. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve! Enjoy!